


Triple Threat

by quiet_rebel



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Actress Kate, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Bodyguard Seth, Dirrty talk, F/M, Fluff and Smut, good angst, so many feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-06-21 12:24:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15557649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet_rebel/pseuds/quiet_rebel
Summary: The last thing Kate Fuller needed was a babysitter.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we are again. Another AU, this time inspired by Madie's red carpet look for the Sharp Objects premiere. This one should be fun with a smidge of angst, a dash of fluff, and a whole lot of smut. I usually wait until I finish a story before I post, but I couldn't wait to share this one! I have it outlined, so updates should come quickly (that is if life doesn't get in the way). Enjoy!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

The last thing Kate Fuller needed was a babysitter.

But her father had other ideas. Right now he was interviewing the latest candidate to be her new bodyguard. They were two brothers. She didn't catch their names, but she studied them from her spot next to the pool while rubbing suntan lotion on her legs and arms. One was tall with black horn-rimmed glasses, and he was dressed like a Bible salesman in a black suit. The other looked more rough around the edges with his dark eyes, beard, and tattoo. He definitely looked the part of a bodyguard. Kate couldn't tell how the interview was going, but they had been sitting up on the patio for almost an hour now. 

She sighed. Whatever. If Daddy decided to hire them, they weren't going to last long anyway. She had gone through three bodyguards over the past six months. All of them quit, claiming she was difficult and hard to work with. One of them even called her a “bratty diva who needed to grow up.” Which was funny since it was her father who insisted on treating her like a child. She was twenty now; she wasn't that little girl going out on auditions for cereal commercials anymore. For God's sake, she was the lead in one of the most anticipated movies of the year. The premiere was in two weeks in New York City, which was why Daddy wanted to find a new bodyguard ASAP.

Kate wasn't too worried though. She had gotten rid of three bodyguards already; getting rid of one more was going to be a piece of cake. 

**

The last thing Seth Gecko needed was to be a babysitter.

But Richie had other ideas. After running security at Jacknife Jed's, a popular nightclub in Texas for three years, he and Richie decided to head out West, looking for gold. Somehow they ended up in the backyard of a house in Beverly Hills. His brother had convinced him they needed this job—watching Kate Fuller, Hollywood's latest It Girl. 

Watching Kate now sitting by the pool showed him everything he needed to know about her. She wore a skimpy red bikini, taking selfies as she worked on her tan. Her shiny brown hair was piled on top of her head in a perfect bun, and a pair of expensive Chanel sunglasses hid her green eyes. Another typical shallow actress. She probably did Pilates and drank shit like kale smoothies. He didn't care how much her father paid them; there was no way in hell he was going on smoothie runs.

“So, what do you think, Seth?”

He turned his attention back to Jacob Fuller, the ex-minister now business manager. Not only did he manage Kate's acting career, but he was also managing his son, Scott's, budding music career. The kid was getting ready to go on his first world tour. Unfortunately, it coincided with Kate's press tour and movie premiere in New York. And since Daddy Dearest couldn't be there, he was looking for someone he could trust to watch his daughter.

Sitting at the patio table, Seth looked over the contract again. It was pretty straightforward. Keep Kate safe and out of trouble. So, why had the last three bodyguards quit?

“Is something wrong?” Jacob asked when he didn't answer right away.

Seth pointed to a word on the document. “It says something here about discipline. Can you elaborate more on that?”

Richie cleared his throat. “You're going to have to excuse my brother, Mr. Fuller. He likes to scrutinize things.”

“I just want to make sure we know what we're signing up for,” Seth said. “I'm sure you understand, don't you, Mr. Fuller?”

“Of course,” he said. “And to answer your question, Kate needs extra...attention.”

Seth lifted his brows. “What do you mean?”

Jacob shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, the last bodyguard lost her.”

Now Richie was the one who raised his brows. “Excuse me? How did he lose her?”

“It was after a photo shoot in Santa Monica,” Jacob said. “She managed to slip away when he went to get the car. Anyway, she showed back up at the house four hours later. We didn't have to ask her where she was. I'm sure you read the tabloids.”

Seth didn't, but for some strange reason, Richie paid attention to that kind of stuff. “Part of the business,” he explained. 

So it was Richie who connected the dots. “Rafa Infante.”

“Who?” Seth asked.

“He's her co-star,” he said. “The paparazzi have taken photos of them together around town, holding hands, kissing.”

Seth glanced back at Kate, who was now flipping through an issue of _Vogue_. So, the spoiled brat liked to run away from her bodyguards, huh?

“Discipline,” Seth said, gesturing to the contract. “Does that mean I get to ground her if she gets into trouble?”

Jacob chuckled, but when he saw that Seth and Richie weren't laughing, he became serious again. “It means you don't lose her.”

Seth let out a heavy sigh and turned to her brother. “Well, Richie, it sounds she's going to be a handful. Extra attention means—”

“Extra dollar signs,” Richie finished.

Jacob crossed his arms. “I'm sorry, boys, but this is my final offer.”

Seth and Richie shared a look and shrugged. They both rose from their chairs. 

“Thank you for meeting with us, Mr. Fuller,” Richie said. “Good luck finding someone.”

“Wait!” Jacob jumped up. “Hold on. I'm sure we can agree on something.”

Seth and Richie smiled and sat back down. 

“We're all ears,” Seth said.

**

When reporters asked Kate who her favorite actress was she always said, “Amy Adams. She's just so genuine and talented. I would love to work with her one day.”

Now that day was here.

She flipped through the issue of _Vogue_ that had Amy on the cover. The older actress was promoting their movie. It was a coming-of-age story with Kate as a high school senior who loses her parents in a car accident and ends up living with her aunt played by Amy. Early reviews praised both of their performances, calling it “heart-wrenching and emotional.” 

In the article, Amy talked about working with Kate. “She put everything into this character. I swear, there were a couple scenes where she had the entire set sobbing. They were real tears.”

_They were real tears._

For her, she tried not to think about where those tears came from.

“Kate!”

She looked up from the magazine to see her father waving at her to join him on the patio. The brothers were still sitting at the table. She put on a white tunic and walked over to them.

With a sardonic smile, she pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and said, “So, are you two coming to New York with me?”

The one with the tattoo stood, his smile matching hers. “Just me, princess.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the positive response to this fic! Hope you enjoy this update!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

Seth spent the next two weeks getting to know everything he could about Kate. Luckily, he was able to do it quickly thanks to Richie's wealth of pop culture knowledge. It turned out Little Miss Sunshine was from a small town called Bethel, Texas where Mr. Fuller had preached at a Baptist church. After doing school and community theater (of course, she could act, sing, and dance), Kate caught the acting bug. The whole family packed up and headed to Los Angeles. As a kid, she starred in a couple commercials and TV guest spots. At sixteen, she was one of the leads of a popular vampire show for three years before it went off the air. Around that time, she got cast in her first big movie role, opposite an Oscar-nominated actress.

He had to admit he was impressed. 

Richie also passed along Kate's social media accounts: Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram. Even though Seth didn't care about any of those things, he spent time studying those too, especially her Instagram. She had almost a million followers, which boggled Seth's mind. Why would so many people care about what she ate for brunch, wore to the beach, or the kind of music she listened to? Yet here he was scrolling through her photos. There she was in a short blue dress that showed off her long legs (#beautifulday #beautifulyou); another showed her riding bikes with friends at Venice Beach (#bikesquad #girlgang); hiking at Griffith Park (#pooped #help); and—fuck, she did do Pilates. But he was relived to find no signs of kale smoothies in any of her photos.

There were also pictures of her family. At dinner with her brother. At a Dodgers game with her dad. The three of them paddle boarding. Always smiling. Always laughing. Always #familyforever.

And there were a few pictures of a pretty older woman with brown hair and a bright smile. #missyoumama

Seth wondered what had happened to Mama Fuller.

The day before their trip, Kate posted a new photo. It was a selfie of her biting into a big, red apple. 

_See you soon, New York_ , the caption read.

#newadventures #cantwait

**

It was a different story the following afternoon when Seth and the driver arrived to pick up Kate. They had been waiting for her for almost thirty minutes. Finally, she walked out of the house with two rolling pieces of luggage and her carry-on. Did she pack her entire closet? They were only going to be gone for a week.

As the driver put her luggage into the trunk of the Town Car, she got into the backseat with him. She wore black skinny jeans with black heels and a sleeveless red blouse. Her hair fell over her shoulders in loose curls. Again, her green eyes were covered by her Chanel sunglasses. They were going to LAX and she was treating it like a fashion show. 

She didn't say anything to him as she scrolled through her Instagram on her phone, double-tapping with her thumb every once and awhile to like a picture. 

“Hi,” he said after a moment. 

“Hey.” She didn't look up from her phone.

He let out a heavy sigh. This was going to be a long trip.

When they arrived to LAX, there were at least a dozen of paparazzi guys with their cameras in the terminal. As soon as they spotted Kate, flashes went off.

“Are you excited about your big movie premiere?”

“What's it like working with Amy?”

“Are you and Rafa dating?”

Kate didn't answer any of the questions, but she signed a couple of autographs before apologizing to them.

“Sorry, guys, I have a flight to catch,” she said with a sweet smile.

Seth pushed them through the crowd, resting his hand on her lower back and guiding her out of the area. When the guys didn't back up, he reached down for her hand and motioned for them to move out of the way.

“Give us some space!” 

At the sound of his booming voice, the paparazzi guys lowered their cameras and stepped aside.

When they finally it to the security line, he was surprised to feel Kate squeeze his hand. But just as quickly, she dropped his hand and pulled out her phone again. He wondered how long it was going to take before he threw her phone into oncoming traffic. But when she turned on her camera and took a couple of selfies, he wondered how long it was going to take before he threw _himself_ into oncoming traffic. 

**

By the time they landed at JFK, Kate had said a total of eight words to Seth.

“Hey.” and “Can you carry my bag for me?”

Wait, make that ten.

“You snore,” she said when he woke up from his nap.

They had a driver waiting for them at baggage claim. When he dropped them off at the hotel, it was almost nine p.m. Kate had to be up at seven tomorrow morning to meet her publicist. That meant Seth had to be up at seven too. He already knew he was going to need a lot of coffee.

After they checked-in at the the front desk, Seth asked for Kate's second room key. 

“What for?” she asked.

“Part of the contract, princess,” he said with his hand out.

“Bullshit.”

“You wanna call your dad and check?”

She narrowed her green eyes, but gave him the key anyway.

They both had rooms on the thirty-first floor. 

“My age,” Seth said, pushing the button in the elevator. 

Kate didn't say anything, probably still silently fuming about the room key.

They stopped at her room first, where the bellboy dropped off her luggage. As Kate gave him a tip, the guy asked her for a picture.

“Not tonight,” Seth told him.

“No, it's okay,” she said.

The bellboy pulled out his phone and snapped a selfie with her, thanking her a thousand times before leaving the room.

“That doesn't annoy you?” Seth asked her.

“My fans don't annoy me.”

 _My fans._ He wanted to roll his eyes.

“Uh-huh.” He walked to the window, checking behind the curtains.

“What are you doing?” Kate said.

“I have to do a sweep of your room every night,” he said, opening the closet door and looking inside. All clear.

She shook her head. “No way.”

“Part of the contract,” he said with a wink.

“We'll see.” She stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. 

He smiled to himself. The whole day Kate had been trying to get under his skin; instead, he won this round.

As he finished checking the room, Kate came racing out of the bathroom, screaming. 

Seth's heart jumped to his throat. “What happened?”

She pointed back to the bathroom. “In there!”

He entered cautiously, but saw nothing wrong. “What are you talking about?”

“On the counter!”

And there it was. A tiny spider crawling in the sink.

_Seriously?_

Seth's heart returned to his chest.

Kate watched from the doorway. “Do something!” 

He used toilet paper to grab the spider, then flushed it down the toilet. This was why he was getting paid the big bucks. He turned back to Kate, who was still shaking, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don't worry, you're safe.”

All part of the contract.

**

After Seth left her room, Kate immediately called her dad to complain about the “contract” he had with him, but her dad wouldn't budge about the rules. 

“It's for your own good,” he said.

But to Kate, it meant that he trusted Seth more than his own daughter. 

Tense and frustrated, Kate decided to take a hot bath before she went to bed. This was going to be last quiet night for awhile. Tomorrow was packed with interviews and photo sessions. She should be excited. Instead, she was in a bad mood.

And it was all Seth Gecko's fault.

A couple times today she really thought he was going to quit. That would have been awesome. The new bodyguard quitting on his first day. Instead, he came out on top. He had her extra room key and her dad on his side to prove it. 

As she undressed, her phone vibrated with a new text message. She smiled at Rafa's name.

_Sweet dreams! Can't wait to see you tomorrow!_

Her mood instantly improved. She was spending the whole day with him tomorrow talking about the movie, so the company was definitely going to be better.

She sent him a quick response: _Me too!_ adding a kissing face emoji.

Kate was thinking about his kisses as she sank into the warm bathwater. She let out a soft moan as the tension in her muscles began to evaporate. Tilting her head back against the tub, she closed her eyes, letting her hands wander underwater. What better way to relax than with her fingers. 

She gently rubbed her clit, letting out another moan. Biting her lip, she used her other hand to tug on her nipples. Fuck, that felt good. In the darkness, she imagined Rafa's sweet smile, his sweet kisses, his sweet touches, the way she blushed every time he called her Katerina. 

But as she rubbed her clit harder, Rafa's sweet face morphed into one with a beard and a neck tattoo. And instead of his sweet voice calling her Katerina, it was a deep, gravely one calling her princess.

She liked how Seth had taken her hand at the airport today, how he had taken charge and led her away from the paparazzi. In the same way he showed he was in charge when he made her hand over her extra room key. 

He was in control.

She moaned at the thought and parted her legs, sliding two fingers into her pussy. 

Before she knew it, more thoughts wildly appeared in her mind. How strong Seth's hand felt holding hers. Watching Seth sleep next to her on the plane, thinking he had pretty eyelashes. Noticing his big muscles under his black T-shirt and wondering what else was big. The way their knees had touched in the backseat during the ride to the hotel. The way he smelled warm like amber and vanilla. The fact that he was eleven years older than her. When he touched her shoulder and told her she was safe.

With her eyes still closed, she imagined Seth using the extra key to come into her room, heading toward the light in the bathroom, finding her in the bathtub with her fingers pinching her nipples and fucking her pussy. She imagined him watching her intently as she thrust her fingers inside faster and rubbed her clit harder.

“Yes,” she sighed, seconds away from climaxing. 

Now she imagined Seth on his knees next to the tub, his hand in between her legs, his big fingers moving inside her as she begged him to make her come.

_Please, please, please, please..._

When she did, she shuddered and let out a loud moan. Her eyes flew open, seeing stars, and her entire body arched, splashing water on to the floor. Whimpering, she settled back into the tub, slowly massaging her clit as tiny aftershocks rippled through her. She felt loose, relaxed, sleepy. 

“Sweet dreams, princess,” her imaginary Seth said from the door.

Sweet dreams indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is gonna be fun!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the lovely feedback! You guys rock!
> 
> I promised a fun chapter, so read on!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

Seth was still half-asleep when he walked down to Kate's room at seven a.m. He had tossed and turned last night, worried that she might have done something to his phone or hotel clock to make sure he overslept. He wouldn't put it past her to be that devious. He let out a big yawn and knocked on Kate's door. Nothing. He knocked again. 

“Kate, it's Seth,” he said, knocking. “Open up.”

He checked his phone. No missed calls or text messages. 

“Come on, Kate, open the door.” His knocking became more insistent. 

Again, nothing.

“Shit.” He pulled her extra room key from his pocket and slid it into the door handle. With a beep, the light turned green and he rushed into the room. “Kate?”

She wasn't in bed. Her suitcases were still here. There was no sign of her in the bathroom either. Fuck. Where was she? 

He could already hear Mr. Fuller: _“You lost her too?”_

Fuck this. If he had to search the entire island of Manhattan, he would—and he would bring her back kicking and screaming after he found her. 

As he headed to the door, it beeped open.

Kate entered, holding a tray with two Starbucks drinks. She jumped at the sight of Seth standing in her room. “What are you doing here?” She was dressed in jeans, boots, and a pink top. Her hair and makeup were done, which meant she had been up for some time now.

“Where the fuck were you?” he asked her instead.

Kate set the drinks down on top of the dresser next to the TV. “Oh, my god, why are you being so dramatic?

He took in a deep breath. It was too early for Kate to test his patience. 

“Answer my question,” Seth said.

“We had a long day yesterday,” she said, handing him one of the hot drinks. “I thought we could use some coffee.”

Narrowing his eyes, he accepted the drink. “That's it? You just went out to get coffee?”

“Yes, that's it.” 

He still didn't know if he could trust her. She was too damn cheerful and awake this morning. What had changed from last night when she was yelling and slamming doors in his face? 

Seth was still thinking it over when he took a sip from the cup. As soon as he swallowed the hot liquid, he gagged and coughed. “What the hell is this?”

“Caramel Macchiato with an extra shot of espresso,” Kate said, calmly drinking hers.

“Whatever happened to good old fashioned coffee?” He stuck out his tongue in disgust and placed his drink back into the tray. 

Kate frowned. “I was trying to be nice.”

“So, is this your way of repaying me?”

“What do you mean?” Kate widened her eyes and her cheeks turned red.

What the hell was wrong with her?

“For killing that spider,” he answered.

“Oh, um, yeah,” she said, nodding and tipping her drink toward him. “For killing the spider, thanks.”

“Well, next time, no more of these fancy drinks,” he said, gesturing to the tray. “Just a regular coffee with sugar, okay?”

She put a hand on her hip. “I'm sorry, but who's working for who here?”

Seth wondered if Kate could see the anger fuming from his body. He counted to five in his head and picked back up the fucking Caramel Macchiato, trying not to make a face as he took a drink. It tasted nasty but he needed that espresso to kick in—fast.

Smiling smugly, Kate said, “Cheers.” 

As they toasted their Starbucks cups, Kate's phone buzzed in her back pocket. She reached for it, reading the text. “It's Melanie. She's downstairs with the driver.”

Good. The sooner they started the day, the sooner they could end it.

**

Kate's publicist, Melanie, was as glued to her phone as Kate was to hers. The woman reminded Seth of Uma Thurman with her tall figure, short blonde hair, and icy blue eyes. When Kate introduced them in the lobby, she briefly looked up from her iPhone and gave him a firm handshake. 

“How are you two getting along?” she asked.

The taste of Caramel Macchiato was still burned on his tongue. “Terrific,” he said with a strained smile. 

Kate batted her eyelashes at him. “Seth's been doing a great job.”

“Let's hope he lasts longer than the other guy,” Melanie said, her thumbs flying over her phone screen once again.

Seth struggled to keep the smile on his face. Maybe Melanie didn't have her Caramel Macchiato yet this morning. 

“Come on. Busy day ahead of us.” She put on a pair of sunglasses and headed toward the door without waiting for them. Or maybe she just had a stick up her ass. 

“Isn't she the best?” Kate said, skipping after her.

Seth finally dropped the smile, replacing it with a scowl, as he followed the two of them to the car.

Their first stop was MTV, where two assistants greeted them at the door.

“Rafa is already here,” said the girl with the nose ring.

Seth noticed how Kate's eyes lit up. Is that why she woke up in a good mood? Because she was spending today with loverboy?

As the assistants led them to the studio, Seth heard someone shout in front of them. He tensed for a moment, putting his hand out in front of Kate like a reflex. 

“Katerina!”

Seth recognized the dark-haired actor from the pictures of Kate and him hanging around LA. He was good-looking in a wholesome Disney Channel kind of way. Perfect straight white teeth. Dimples. Hair combed and in place. Skinny jeans and plaid flannel shirt. 

Seth hated him already.

On the other hand, Kate ran into Rafa's open arms. They embraced in front of everyone, causing the two assistants to let out a “Aw!” 

Meanwhile, Seth wanted to vomit.

Melanie finally put a stop to their PDA and got the interview going. Maybe she was all right after all.

For the next six hours, Seth stood off to the side and watched Kate and Rafa give interview after interview about how they “loved working together,” and how their “chemistry” really helped with the story....blah, blah, blah...

Rafa was all wrong for Kate. There was no way a guy like him could handle a girl like her. She needed someone with more fire, more experience, someone more in control.

Fuck, what the hell was the matter with him? As long as it didn't interfere with his job, he didn't care who she dated.

He needed a break. At times like this, he wished he smoked.

At the next interview, Seth stepped out of the conference room to call Richie. 

“Congratulations, brother, you made it on TMZ,” Richie said. 

“What?”

“I just sent you the link.”

A moment later, he opened the text to the article and scanned the screen. “What. The. Fuck.” 

_Is Kate Fuller's New Bodyguard THE HULK?_

Under the headline was a video clip from LAX as he held Kate's hand, pushing through the crowd of paparazzi cameras.

“Give us some space!” he shouted at them.

One of the TMZ assholes had even Photoshopped a mean green face over his own. 

Seth groaned. “This is awful.”

“What are you talking about?” Richie said. “The preacher is gonna love that you're actually taking care of his girl. I mean, look at how you handled that shit.”

But all Seth could see was his “Hulk” face plastered all over the internet.

“This day just keeps getting better and better,” he said.

“How is everything doing by the way?” Richie asked. 

“Peachy.” He started to pace the hallway. “I mean, if you don't mind listening to reporters ask the same dozen questions over and over. And everyone keeps calling Kate a triple threat. What does that even mean?”

“It means she's a big deal, so don't mess this up.”

“She's more like a triple pain in my ass,” Seth mumbled. 

Richie sighed on the other line. “Hey, you told me you were gonna be cool.”

“I am,” he said, rolling his shoulders back. “I'm cool.”

“Good, then go do your job, Bruce Banner.”

“Shut up, Richard.”

He was still laughing when Seth ended the call. What did his brother know? He wasn't here dealing with the princess.

As he pocketed his phone, the conference room door opened and Kate stepped out. “There you are!”

“What's up?”

“Melanie wants to take me out to dinner,” she said. 

So, his day wasn't quite over yet.

“Sure,” he said. “Where are we going?”

“No, I mean, just me.”

Seth tried to catch her eye to see if she was hiding something, but he reminded himself she was an actress after all. 

Just then, Melanie also joined them in the hallway.

“Are you ready, Kate?” she asked.

“Be right there!” Kate turned to Seth. “Take the night off. I promise I won't be out too late.”

Although he didn't want Kate out of his sights, at least he knew she was going to be with Melanie, and not with a certain Disney prince. 

“Okay, but call me when you get back, so I can do a sweep of your room,” he told her. 

“Got it.” She brushed her hand over his arm. “See you later!”

Seth watched her leave with Melanie before touching the spot on his arm where her fingers had been. He was screwed. 

**

Seth grabbed dinner at a sports bar a block from the hotel. He didn't waste any time devouring the New York style pizza and chugging the two beers. He watched a little bit of the Knicks game, checking his phone to see if Kate was back yet. When his phone dinged, it was a notification that she had uploaded a new picture on Instagram. He quickly opened the app and saw it was a selfie with Melanie.

 _I love my team._ #loyalty #funatwork

As long as she was still with Melanie. He decided to order another beer and watch the rest of the game.

Another hour went by before Seth headed back to the hotel. He stopped by a convenience store to grab some snacks and water. He had a good buzz going, and Doritos sounded really good right now. As he waited in line to check-out, he spotted the magazines in front of the register. His gaze immediately fell on the cover of _Us Weekly _, where there was a picture of Kate and Rafa walking side by side, holding hands.__

____

____

_Are Kate and Rafa just friends? Pg. 12_

Seth grabbed the magazine and flipped to the page. There were a few more pictures of them together, eating lunch next to the beach. There was one of Rafa kissing her hand. Another one of her laughing. One of his arm around her waist. 

_I don't care. I don't care. I don't care._

“Are you going to buy that, sir?” the cashier asked.

He jerked his head up like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “No, just looking.” He slowly released the tight grip he had on the magazine and put it back on the shelf.

**

It was almost ten and Kate still hadn't called to let Seth know she was back from dinner. When he texted her, she responded five minutes later, telling him she was still out with Melanie. 

_And I'm Santa Claus._

He grabbed her extra room key and headed down the hall to her room. He knocked on the door and waited. Nothing. Didn't this just happen this morning? Seconds away from using her room key, the door swung open. Kate stood in front of him, out of breath, hair ruffled like she had been rolling around the bed with someone.

“Seth,” she said. “I was just about to call you.”

“Really?” She tried to block him, but he managed to step into the room. “Are you out of breath because you ran back to the hotel? I mean, you must be Usain Bolt or something because you were just out with Melanie five minutes ago.”

“Wait, Seth—”

“How long have you been back?” he said, checking the closet. “Did you even go out with Melanie tonight, or was this all a plan?” The closet was empty. “Is this a new one? Lie to the new bodyguard about having dinner with your publicist, then sneak off with your boyfriend?”

That was when he noticed her bathroom door was closed. “Or maybe it was all a plan to sneak your boyfriend back to your hotel room." He pulled the door open to find a stunned Rafa hiding inside. Thankfully, he was clothed. 

“Oh, my god,” Kate said, covering her face. “I can't believe this is even happening.”

“Come on, loverboy.” Seth grabbed Rafa's arm. “You're not welcomed here.” He escorted the kid to the door.

Rafa tried to wrestle his arm free. “Let go of me!” 

“Sure!” Seth shoved Rafa out the door and let it close in his face.

“You're such a jerk!” Kate screamed at him.

Seth spun around to her. This was what she wanted, for him to finally put up his hands, and say, “I quit.” But he wasn't going to let her win that easily.

“Wait until I tell my dad what you just did,” Kate said. “He's gonna fire your ass so fast!”

“Your dad is the reason I'm even here in the first place. You think I like babysitting a spoiled brat?”

Kate's emerald eyes turned into green fires, like she was the one who was going to Hulk out at any second. She grabbed a glass next to the ice bucket and threw it against the wall, sending shattered glass to the floor. 

He jumped back. “What the fuck?”

She stared defiantly at Seth as though she was challenging him to stop her. Before she could grab the other glass, he pushed her back against the wall, pressing his body on top of hers, and pinning her hands at her sides. She struggled to free herself, but it was a halfhearted attempt. The more she struggled, the more she grind against him. Licking her lips, her breathing became heavy. Seth decided to test the waters, nudging her thighs apart with his knee. She whimpered in response. The sound sent a welcomed shiver down his back. 

_Fuck it._

He released her hands, choosing instead to clutch the back of her head and bring their mouths together. The kiss wasn't gentle, and Kate seemed to like that, moaning on his tongue. He pressed himself harder against her. She grabbed his waist, keeping him there. His lips moved to her chin, down her neck; his beard scratching her smooth skin along the way. He could see her how hard her nipples were underneath her pink top. All he had to do was tug the front down to see her tits and wrap his lips around them, but Kate brought his mouth back to hers. She sucked on his tongue, rubbing herself against him. 

He was right; Kate wanted someone with more control.

Seth broke the kiss, leaving them both panting. Her pink lips were wet and swollen. Her green eyes wild and filled with desire. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a small whine as though to tell him she wanted to keep on kissing. 

“You're going to stop seeing Rafa, okay?” he said, tracing her jawline.

Her eyes fluttered close at his touch. “Okay.”

“Okay what?”

She opened her eyes to look him straight on. “I'm going to stop seeing Rafa.”

“And no more sneaking around, got it?”

She nodded.

He pushed his pelvis against hers. “So, say it.”

“No more sneaking around,” she said, her voice breathless and needy.

That was all Seth needed to hear.

He pulled away from the wall, leaving Kate turned-on and confused. He picked up the room phone and dialed the front desk. “Hi there. We need housekeeping in room 3129. We accidentally dropped some glass and it needs to be cleaned up. Thank you.” He hung up just in time to duck as Kate hurled the second glass at his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know--I'm evil! But so are Seth and Kate :)
> 
> Don't worry, fluff is coming up next!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys continue to rock with the comments and kudos! Thank you so much! I'm so happy you guys love this story as much as I do. I admit, I wasn't sure how it was going to go (I mean, it is a bodyguard AU), but I'm having so much fun writing Seth and Kate in this fic! Thanks for coming along on the ride :) 
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

The next morning, Kate didn't have coffee waiting for Seth—he expected that. What he didn't expect when she opened her door was to find her dressed in a short, tight black dress that showed off her legs and plenty of cleavage.

“I'm almost done,” she said.

“Okay.” He checked out her ass as she walked away. 

Maybe she was doing this to torture him after last night. He had enjoyed the kiss as much as she did, but he was still her bodyguard. 

And Kate definitely had quite the body.

His gaze drifted inside the bathroom where Kate was looking into the mirror and applying bright red lipstick. He imagined bending her over the counter, hiking up her dress, and giving that perfect, round ass a couple smacks. 

_Fuck, get it together, Gecko._

Kate's gaze connected with his through the mirror, and she smirked when she caught him staring at her. 

He quickly averted her eyes. “Come on. We don't want to be late.”

She finished putting on her make-up, brushing past him, as she grabbed a leather jacket from the closet. A pair of black heels completed her sexy outfit. Now he knew she was doing this to torture him.

They met Melanie in the hotel lobby to start another long day. 

“So, how was dinner last night?” Seth asked her.

Kate shot him a dirty look, which Melanie missed as she looked up from her phone.

“Fine,” the publicist said.

“Must have been a late night,” Seth said, keeping his gaze locked on Kate's agitated face. “What time would you say you guys got back?”

“Oh, don't worry, Mr. Bodyguard,” Melanie said with a wave of her hand. “I had our little starlet back here by eight.”

Seth lifted his brows. _Bingo._

As they walked to the car, he grabbed Kate by her elbow, keeping her glued to his side.

“Was that really necessary?” Kate asked in a low voice.

He smirked. “It was worth it just to watch you squirm.”

**

First on Kate's agenda was a photoshoot for _Glamour_ magazine. As fashion assistants descended on her, Seth settled into a chair. He pulled out his phone and texted Richie to check-in. Richie responded with _Dude, your video has over 500k views!_

He rolled his eyes. Did people have nothing better to do than to watch that stupid TMZ video?

 _I wonder who Mark Ruffalo uses for security_ , Richie texted. _Could be a good crossover. The Hulk guarding the Hulk._

It was probably better than guarding Kate Fuller. As soon as the pop music started playing for the photoshoot, he knew he was right.

 _Yeah, sure, look into that_ , he wrote Richie back.

“Hi.” A guy with pink hair dressed in a purple and pink striped suit appeared next to him. “Is there anything I can grab for you? Some water? Fruit? We have a terrific parfait.”

_Par-what?_

“Uh, do you have any coffee?” Seth asked.

“Absolutely.” 

As he turned to go, Seth suddenly remembered Kate's Caramel Macchiato. He had learned his lesson.

“Actually, I can get it myself,” he said. 

“Of course.” The guy pointed to the catering table, which thankfully did have a regular coffee pot. 

Seth poured himself a cup and added in three packets of sugar. When he took his first sip, he let out a satisfied “Ah.” That first taste was perfection.

Speaking of perfection...

He watched Kate in the make-up chair, shaking her shoulders to the music playing over the speakers. She laughed along with the make-up and hair people. He caught himself smiling too.

When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he was thankful for the distraction, but then he saw the name on the screen.

“Mr. Fuller,” he answered.

“Seth, did I catch you at a bad time?” Jacob asked.

“No, sir, we're at a photoshoot right now.”

“She's keeping you busy, isn't she?”

“I haven't had a dull day yet.

Jacob lowered his voice. “Listen, Seth, I'm calling because I saw the video...”

Seth held in his breath. What was Daddy Dearest going to think about his Hulk impression?

“And I think you did a great job,” Jacob said. “That's the way to handle those paparazzi creeps.”

Seth widened his eyes at the compliment. “Thank you, sir.”

“So keep doing what you're doing.”

Did that also mean kissing his daughter?

“I will, sir,” Seth said.

“How is everything else going?” Jacob asked. “I've been meaning to call, but I haven't had a free moment on the road. Is Kate staying out of trouble?”

“Well, sir, to be honest, we had a situation last night.”

It was probably better Kate's father heard it from him first before she could twist the story around to put all the blame on him. 

Jacob sighed. “What happened now?”

“I caught Rafa in her hotel room,” Seth said.

“Shit.”

Seth was surprised to hear the ex-preacher swear, but he didn't blame him, not when it came to dealing with Kate's schemes.

“What did you do?” Jacob said.

“Kicked him out.”

Jacob laughed. “Good. That's what I would have done.”

Seth smiled with relief. This phone call was going better than he anticipated.

“I have to get back to Scott's soundcheck,” Jacob said. “But is there anything else I should know?”

_Pushing Kate against the wall, her body rubbing against his, kissing her soft lips..._

“Nope,” Seth said. “We're good.”

“Perfect. Hey, will you let Kate know I called?”

“Sure thing.”

After they hung-up, Seth took his coffee back to his chair. The obnoxious pop music was still blaring in the room, and Kate was in front of the camera now. She had changed into a lacy white dress that had a corset top. She looked like a fairy with her bare feet, her red lips, and the flower crown on top of her long, wavy hair. In between her two hands, she held a bouquet of pink roses while smiling brightly for the photographer. 

Melanie approached him, amazingly without her phone. “She looks beautiful, doesn't she?”

His eyes never left Kate. “Yeah.”

“Kate may be young, but she's worked her whole life for this moment,” Melanie said with a proud smile. 

Seth remembered reading about Kate starting in local theater, the way her entire family picked up and let everything behind in Texas so that she could have a chance to act, the auditions, the commercials, staring in that cheesy vampire show—all of it leading to now.

To him.

“Why just make it a moment?” Seth wondered. “Why not make it last?”

**

By the time Kate made it to her last interview, Seth had probably consumed eight cups of coffee. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep tonight. 

Like with the previous interviews, Seth stood off to the side with Melanie, listening to Kate answer the same dozen questions about the movie. Seth pretty much had them all memorized now, along with Kate's answers.

“What's it like working with Amy Adams?” asked the entertainment reporter from the _New York Times._

“She's my favorite actress. She's just so genuine and talented. I've always admired her work and wished I could work with her one day—and now I am!”

Kate answered each question with her biggest smile. Seth knew she was probably tired, but she showed no sign of it. She really was committed to letting her big moment shine. 

“I read that your mother used to take you to all your auditions when you were little,” the reporter said. “What do you think your mother would say to you right now, if she was here?”

Seth heard Melanie sharply inhale next to him. This was a new question that probably wasn't approved beforehand. 

Kate's smile faltered for second. “My mom—um—she—”

Melanie stepped forward, but when Kate kept talking, she stopped. 

“My mom,” Kate tried again. “She was my first fan. I used to put on these plays in the living room. I turned our couch cushions into a castle, and I was Lady Cupcake.” She laughed at the memory. “But you won't see that on my IMDB.”

Seth snickered. Who knew Kate was funny?

“But to answer your question,” Kate said. “I would hope to hear from my mom that she's proud of me, and I would tell her thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you taking me to all those auditions. And thank you for sacrificing so much. Yeah, that's it.”

The reporter moved on to her next question, but Seth could see Kate was stuck there, thinking about her mother. 

**

Kate was quiet on the ride back to the hotel. Seth didn't think if she was even listening to Melanie spout on about her schedule for the next two days before the premiere on Friday. Luckily, tomorrow was Kate's one free day in New York.

“Get some rest, Kate,” Melanie said when the driver dropped them off. “You were great today!”

A handful of paparazzi guys waited for them outside the hotel, snapping pictures of Kate. She didn't bother to stop to talk to them or sign autographs. Seth took her hand and led her quickly inside the hotel. She held on to him, even when they were inside the elevators, even when they walked to her room, even when she unlocked the door and asked him, “Do you want to come in?”

Seth hesitated. Not because he didn't want to, but because he knew what was going to happen if he stepped through the door—a repeat of last night's heavy make-up session. 

“Please,” Kate said, her bottom lip quivering. “I don't want to be alone right now.”

He let her take the lead this time and followed her into her room. 

Inside, Kate grabbed some clothes from her suitcase and went into her bathroom to change. Seth sat in the armchair across from her bed, wiping his sweaty palms down his slacks. Why was his heart beating so fast? And why did his mouth feel so dry?

When the bathroom door opened, Kate exited wearing a pair of navy blue cotton shorts and a white tank top with spaghetti straps. No bra; he could see the outline and shape of her full breasts and her nipples poking through the thin material. She kept her long hair down, but she had washed her face. He remembered how soft her skin felt when they were kissing. 

“Thanks for staying,” Kate said, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

“Hey, I'm not going to let you out of my sights again after what you pulled last night,” Seth said.

“You don't have to worry about Rafa anymore,” she said.

Seth blinked. “Did you break up with him?”

“We were never a thing,” she said with a shrug. “I mean, we had a good time hanging out and stuff, but it was never anything serious.”

“But everyone says—”

Kate rolled her eyes. “You mean those stupid tabloid magazines? Don't believe everything you read, Seth.”

His stomach did a little cartwheel at the news. 

“I meant, you scared him off pretty good, Hulk,” she said, smiling.

Seth groaned. “Oh, that...”

“Yes, that.” She giggled. “How does it feel going viral?”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up while you can.” He crossed his arms. 

“No, thank you, I needed this.” She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest, and going quiet. “Seth, tell me about your mom.”

He dropped his arms, not expecting to hear that question. Was this how Kate felt earlier when the reporter surprised her too?

“To be honest, I don't remember much about her,” he said. “She took off when my brother and I were kids.”

“So, your dad raised you?”

“More like we raised ourselves.” He thought about stealing candy and sodas from the gas station, eating hot dogs for weeks because that's all they had in the fridge, feeding Richie soup when he was sick.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Kate said in a soft voice.

Seth shrugged with a small smile. “I think we turned out okay.”

“Do you miss her—your mom?” Kate asked.

A soft voice singing Loretta Lynn from the kitchen. A hand caressing his cheek before tucking him into bed. Her perfume that smelled like roses. 

“From what I can remember, yeah, I do,” Seth said.

“That's what my dad tells me and Scott,” she said. “As long as we remember and keep our mom in our memories, she won't ever feel far away. That's what I was thinking about when I was making the movie.”

Oh, shit. It finally clicked for Seth why Kate was getting rave reviews for playing an orphan—because she knew what it was like to lose a parent.

He cleared his throat. “Kate, how did—what happened to your mom?”

She was quiet for a moment before she answered, hugging her legs to her chest tighter. “She died in a car accident too. I was thirteen. Some asshole speeding in his Porsche cut her off on the 405 and sent her crashing into the cement divider.” She sniffed as tears formed in her eyes. “She was on her way to pick me up for an audition for a dumb Target commercial that I probably wasn't even going to get. I thought it was my fault for the longest time. If only I didn't have to go to that audition. If only I wanted to do something else with my life. If only we hadn't moved to California.”

_“I would tell her thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you taking me to all those auditions. And thank you for sacrificing so much.”_

To thirteen-year-old Kate, her mother had made the ultimate sacrifice. That was a lot for a kid.

“I almost gave it all up,” Kate continued. “Acting. I wanted nothing to do with it. I stopped going to auditions for two years until my dad reminded me of Lady Cupcake. He told me she wouldn't want me to give up so easily. If acting was my dream, then I should keep pursuing it.”

Seth smiled at the story. “Well, thank you, Lady Cupcake.”

Kate laughed, wiping away her tears. “Thank you, Lady Cupcake.” But her laughter soon dissolved into more tears. She dropped her head to her chest, shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

“Hey, hey...” Seth quickly moved from the chair to the bed. He took her into his arms, holding her close, and running his fingers through her hair. “Hey, it's okay, shhh....” But she continued to sob into his chest. He squeezed her tighter, pulling her head away from his chest. She looked up at him with wet cheeks and tears clinging to her eyelashes. He hated seeing her look so damn sad.

Before he could stop himself, he lowered his mouth to hers, gently kissing her. She reciprocated with a soft moan, clutching the front of his black Henley shirt. He pulled her all the way into him, chests touching, her arms wrapping around his neck. The kiss became more desperate, passionate; their mouths opening to taste each other again. 

Seth rolled Kate over to her back, not allowing her to catch her breath before he kissed her again. He covered her body with his while his hands reached down to hold her hips. She kept her arms around his neck, letting out breathy moans as their kisses deepened. 

Fuck, where did this girl learn how to kiss?

Now, she was kissing his face; her soft lips on his coarse beard. He kissed her forehead and pulled back to look at her. To just look at her. At how soft and vulnerable she looked under him. It occurred to him that he was looking at the real Kate Fuller and not some Hollywood/Instagram/paparazzi version. 

Seth kissed her forehead again, then moved his mouth to the tip of her nose, then placed a soft kiss on her lips before shifting himself lower, covering her neck with kisses. She squirmed underneath him, her fingers threading through his hair. When he made it to the valley in between her breasts, he lifted his gaze to her face and those pretty green eyes. She gave him a small nod.

_Yes._

Slowly, he pushed the hem of her tank top up, revealing her smooth skin and perfect tits. 

“Seth,” Kate whispered.

His cock twitched, hearing his name on her lips while she was spread out like this for him in her bed. He wrapped his hands around her wrists and pinned them on both sides of her head as he lowered his mouth to lick her nipples. With the first swipe, Kate moaned. She tasted like his own piece of heaven on earth. He paid the same attention to both breasts, sucking and licking her nipples until she was gasping his name over and over. 

He lifted her arms, pinning them over her head with his right hand. She whimpered, pushing her tits up for more. Using his left hand, he tweaked her wet, sensitive nipples. 

“Yes, please,” she moaned.

He squeezed her tits, rolling the hard nipples in between his fingers, before wrapping his lips around them again. This time, he tugged on her nipples with his teeth.

Kate's body arched. “Ah, Seth!”

Fuck, she was so damn responsive. 

He soothed each bite with his tongue, licking and sucking until she was squirming under him again and calling out his name.

Seth released her hands and lowered his mouth to her flat stomach, planting kisses there and on her belly button. He thought about pulling her shorts down and letting his mouth continue its journey in between her legs, when a loud growl came from inside Kate's stomach. He paused. Her stomach growled again. He looked up at Kate, and together, they burst out laughing.

“Oh, man.” Seth fell on his back next to her, placing his arm over his forehead. 

“I didn't have any dinner,” Kate said.

“I can hear that.” He grinned, turning over to her. God, she looked amazing. Her brown hair spread out on the mattress, her tits out, nipples wet from his mouth, legs open. He wanted her badly, but not tonight. Not like this with her head filled with painful memories of her mother. 

He reached over and pulled down her shirt, covering her up, and leaving his hand on her empty stomach. “What are you in the mood for?”

Kate smiled. “I know this great vegan place—”

Seth groaned. 

“I'm kidding!” She thought about it for a moment before her face lit up. “How about pizza?”

This time, Seth was the one who smiled. “I know the perfect place.”

**

After Seth picked up the pizza from the sports bar, he made a stop at the convenience store. Soda. Gum. Mints. Condoms. 

As he paid for his items, he saw the same magazine cover with Kate and Rafa and smirked.

_“Don't believe everything you read, Seth.”_

When he returned to Kate's room, she was sitting up in bed, watching television.

“It's the new Robert Rodriguez movie,” she said. “I would so love to work with him one day.”

Seth took a seat next to her, opening the pizza box. The delicious smell of pepperoni and cheese filled the room. “You never know, it might happen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I teased you guys with some fluffy smut here, but we're going to ramp it up a few notches in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making you guys wait longer than usual for this update! But I promise you, it will be worth it ;)
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

What Kate loved about New York City was how anyone could get lost there—even her. Sure, there were a few paparazzi cameras every now and then, but for the most part, people tended to leave her alone. She lived for those moments, especially when she was sitting in her favorite diner in Brooklyn stuffing her face with french toast, bacon, and scrambled eggs.

“Whoa, slow down, princess,” Seth said across from her in the booth. “You don't want to accidentally choke on a slice of bacon.”

Kate smiled. “Isn't that I have you for? To save me?”

“If you wanted some mouth-to-mouth, why didn't you say so?” 

Her smile grew as she ate another piece of bacon and grabbed her throat pretending to choke. Seth laughed and motioned for her to lean over the table. When she did, he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. Her cheeks warmed. She had expected things to be awkward or weird after last night, but Seth had showed up bright and early at her door with Starbucks: a coffee for him and a Caramel Macchiato with an extra shot of espresso for her. Before she knew it, she was inviting him to join her for breakfast.

“So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?” Seth asked. “Shopping? A mani/pedi? Selfies in Times Square?”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Selfies in Times Square? Do you really think I'm that shallow?” She waved down the waitress for the check. “We're going to Central Park.”

**

When they arrived to Central Park, Kate realized she was giving Seth a tour of her favorite spots in the city. She was also beginning to realize she liked Seth's company, not just because he was her bodyguard and getting paid to watch her, but she actually liked spending time with him. 

He was her shadow. Everywhere she turned, there he was. At the beginning, it used to annoy her; now, she looked for him wherever she went to make sure he was there.

Among the trees and greenery, she skipped ahead of him, twirling in her short red dress. She loved watching him watching her. Those hazel eyes soaking her in like a painting.

She stopped and pulled out her phone, making him pose with her for a selfie. “Smile!” 

“Do I have to?” he said, groaning.

“Hey, I'm your boss,” she said.

Seth forced a smile on his face as she snapped a few photos.

“See? That wasn't so bad.” She slipped the phone back into her purse and tugged on his hand. “Come on. I wanna show you my favorite place here.”

They walked for a couple more minutes before they made it to the Bethesda Fountain and walked down the stairs to the pool of water. Only a dozen or so people were in the area. 

Kate stood in front of the fountain, looking up at the angel statue on top. She thought about her mother and how in two more days, she would be at her first big movie premiere. 

_You should be here too, Mama._

She felt Seth move to her side and reach for her hand. With a sigh, she entwined their fingers. She closed her eyes and listened to the water bubbling in the fountain, the soft caress of the breeze on her face, the smell of electricity in the air as if a storm was going to break at any moment now. She opened her eyes again, moving her gaze to the angel to Seth. He was watching her with that same soft look on his face. He gently put his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. She liked how their bodies connected like magnets. 

Seth's hands cupped her face, and she licked her lips, remembering how good his kisses had felt last night. As he brought her face to his, a clap of thunder boomed over them. 

“Oh, no,” Kate murmured.

They broke away just as the first drops of rain hit them.

With a shriek, she grabbed Seth's hand as he ran them through the park toward the street. He hailed down a taxi and they quickly got into the backseat; both of them drenched. 

As Kate told the driver what hotel to take them to, the driver's eyes widened in the rearview mirror. “Aren't you...”

Kate got ready to put on her biggest smile.

“...the Hulk? Yeah, I saw you in that video! You're her bodyguard!”

She turned to Seth, trying not to laugh.

“What do you want?” he said with a scowl. “An autograph?”

The driver grinned. “Just don't hit me!”

She looped her arm through Seth's. “I think you're more famous than me now.”

**

As they took the elevator back to their hotel rooms, Kate was aware of Seth's hand on her back. Her wet dress clung onto her like a second layer of skin. She looked up at him at the same time he looked down at her, and they shared a smile. 

There was a storm brewing in the elevator too. 

When the doors opened to their floor, they stepped out and paused. Kate glanced down the hall to the left where her room was located, then to the right to Seth's room. She could thank Seth for today and go back to her room alone, or she could take Seth's hand and lead him to his room together.

“Where to, princess?” he asked.

She reached behind her back and took Seth's hand. He followed without any questions. 

Inside his room, he rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a black T-shirt for her.

“Thanks,” she said, taking it into the bathroom.

Once she closed the door, she realized how hard her heart was beating. She put a hand over her chest, breathing in deep.

_You got this, Kate._

She knew what she was doing when she turned right instead of left. She wanted Seth, and she knew he wanted her too. So why in the hell was she shaking?

Kate undressed, leaving on her underwear, and slipped on Seth's shirt. It fell to her knees, and it smelled like him. That warm vanilla spicy scent that made everything inside her turn to jelly. 

As she was leaving the bathroom, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her dark hair limp and in knots from the rain. Her make-up smeared. Her skin pale and flushed from the anticipation of Seth's mouth on her body again. God, if Seth still wanted her like this, he really did have feelings for her.

In the other room, Seth had also changed out of his wet clothes. He wore a pair of black sweatpants and was in the middle of pulling on a clean white T-shirt when she saw his muscular chest, washboard abs, and the fiery tattoo running up his right arm. She couldn't help but stare.

Seth grinned. “See something you like?”

She rolled her eyes, looking away, but she was still shaking. 

He chuckled and decided to leave the shirt off. 

_Bastard._

Seth walked to the hall closet and took out a hanger. He took her dress from her and hung it up to dry. 

“I like that dress,” he said, turning back to her, his eyes already eating her up. “But I like my shirt on you better.”

The heavy rain continued to fall outside, the sound of it hitting the window echoing the pitter-patter of her accelerating heartbeat. 

As Seth moved closer to her, her breathing quickened. This wasn't like last night when she was crying and he was comforting her. It wasn't even like that night when he pressed her up against the wall and took her breath away. 

This was different. This was powerful. This was why she was shaking.

He cupped her face again. “Where were we?”

And when he kissed her, she knew there were no empty stomachs or thunderstorms to interrupt them. 

Seth kissed her slowly, wrapping his big arms around her, and pushing her closer to his hard chest. She moaned, placing her hands on his arms. He moved his hot mouth down her neck, walking them toward the armchair. Still holding her, he sat with her on his lap. She straddled him, pressing their bodies and mouths back together. The rain had made his skin smell earthy. She ran her hands over his muscles. God, he felt so good. Strong and safe and sexy. She pulled back to look at his handsome face. Those long eyelashes. That beard that covered his sharp jawline. His soft lips. His pupils so dilated they were almost black. It turned her on even more knowing how much Seth wanted her. She began to rock back and forth on his lap, grinding her pussy along his thigh. 

He groaned. “Kate...”

She loved how weak and desperate his voice sounded, that she was the cause of it. 

Whimpering, she quickened her pace, the fabric of both his sweatpants and her panties rubbing her pussy and clit with delicious friction.

Seth drew her in for another kiss full of tongue and teeth and spit. She whined, grinding herself harder on his leg. Her panties were soaked, and not from the rain this time.

“Baby, baby...” Seth gasped. “Fuck, I can _smell_ how wet you are.”

She could smell it too, that sweet scent of desire and need pooling in between her legs. She slowed her motions and rested her head on to his shoulder.

“Let me see you.” Seth reached down, but she whimpered, “No,” and pushed his hand away. Instead, she lowered her fingers to her pussy, sliding two of them through her slick folds. She moaned into his neck and thrust them in and out, in and out, then lifted her shiny fingers to Seth's mouth. 

_Taste how wet I am._

Holding her wrist, Seth sucked on her fingers. She bit on her lip, suppressing a moan. When he finished, he pulled her in for another long kiss, swiping his tongue over hers so she could have a taste of her sweetness too. 

“I wanna taste some more,” Seth said, panting into her mouth. “Take off everything.”

Kate was still shaking as she climbed off Seth's lap. Slowly, she tugged his shirt over her head and dropped it at her feet. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples hard, and the front of her white lacy panties damp. 

“This isn't fair,” she said, gesturing to his sweatpants.

“Fine.” He pulled on the drawstrings. “On the count of three. One...”

“Two...” She shimmered her panties down her legs. 

“Three,” they said together.

Kate stepped out of her panties while Seth pushed his sweatpants down to his ankles. 

“Holy shit,” she said when he saw his rigid cock. That thing had to be at least eight or nine inches. Curving toward his stomach, it was long, thick, and veiny. 

“Holy shit,” Seth echoed, his gaze fixed on her waxed, pink pussy. He stood, kicking off his sweatpants. Stroking his cock, he motioned for her to sit on the armchair. 

She took his place on the cushion and watched Seth slide his right hand up and down his dick. It truly was a beautiful sight. Maybe he was going to put it in her mouth. She hoped he was going to put in her mouth. 

“Put your hands there,” he said, tapping the arms of the chair. “Palms out.”

She pouted. “Why?”

“You want my mouth on you again, don't you, princess?” He was stroking himself faster now.

With a frustrated sigh, she followed his instructions. 

“Now, put your legs up there and spread them,” he said.

Her eyes grew wide. “What?”

“I promise you, it will be worth it,” he said with a smug smile.

She scooted her bottom down the cushion and reclined, swinging her right leg over her right arm and left leg over her left arm. Her palms, flat against the inside her thighs, kept her legs parted. 

Seth remained in front of her, stroking his cock, and looking down at her on the chair with her legs spread and pussy exposed for him to do whatever he wanted. 

“You're so fucking pretty,” he said. 

_Really?_

Before Kate could fire off a comeback, he dropped to his knees and thrust his tongue into her dripping slit. She cried out, her body jerking in response. 

“Oh, fuck,” she gasped.

He continued to lap at her pussy, licking her hole and her clit. She wanted to claw at him, dig her nails into the back of his head as he fucked her with his tongue, but her hands were stuck under her legs. This was Seth's plan all along—make it impossible for her to move, and she couldn't do anything about it. 

“So pretty,” he murmured, kissing the inside of her thighs.

He massaged her clit with his tongue while scissoring two fingers in and out of her pussy.

“Seth!” She sobbed, rolling her head from side to side. “Oh, god...Seth...”

It was unbelievable. His tongue. His fingers. His rough beard scratching her sensitive skin. Her entire body convulsed as she started to climax. The first wave rolled through her a tsunami, and then it was wave after wave after wave. 

Seth lifted his gaze to her face, watching it contort with pleasure. “Come on, pretty girl.” He sat up, slowly sliding his fingers in and out of her pussy. “Come on...come for me...” He added a third finger inside her, causing her to finally cry out. She felt like she had been launched into space.

“You look even prettier when you come.” Seth removed his fingers and planted a soft kiss on her pussy.

She gradually fell back to Earth, gasping for air. Fuck, that was amazing.

But Seth wasn't done. He rose to his feet, grabbing the tip of his erect cock and sliding it over her dripping slit so that her juices coated his dick. She let out a series of soft, breathless whines each time he rubbed his cock on her pussy lips.

“You ready for me to be inside you?” he asked, his cock bumping against her swollen clit.

 _You already are_ , she thought.

But instead she nodded. “Please, Seth, now, please...”

“I like it when you say please,” he said with a crooked grin. 

She batted her lashes at him. “Pretty please.”

“That's right, pretty girl.” He leaned down to kiss her mouth, and she gasped at the weight of him on top of her, the feel of his hard muscles and hard cock touching her. 

“Don't move,” he said when he pulled away.

She whined as she kept her legs spread on the armchair. Her empty pussy began to throb, begging to be filled. 

Seth grabbed a box of condoms from his suitcase. “When was the last time you slept with someone?”

Too long. In between filming her TV show and her movie, she barely had time for dating. Plus, her father believed guys were just a distraction, which was why he had a bodyguard with her every minute of the day.

And now here she was, fucking the bodyguard.

She hesitated telling Seth the truth, thinking he might change his mind if he knew. But he was already rolling a condom on his cock.

“Two years ago,” she said. “It was a boy from—”

“I don't need to know that part,” he cut in. “So, you and Rafa never...”

“I told you, we were never anything serious.”

“And what does that mean for us?” he said, moving back to her. “Are we serious?”

She smiled up at him. “Are you asking me to go steady?”

He smiled with her, pressing the tip of his cock against her pussy. “You want me to be your boyfriend, princess?”

“Is that what you want?”

He answered by pushing his cock inside her, stretching her pink pussy lips wide open. 

She moaned. “Oh, fuck!” Two years of only her fingers and her vibrator didn't compare to the real thing.

And Seth's thing was hugely real.

She bit her lip as she watched Seth slowly work his cock into her slippery, but tight pussy. He was only halfway in, and she already felt so full. Her walls clenched around him. 

He groaned. “Fuck, Kate, do that again.”

She clenched, once, twice, and he groaned louder. It sounded so damn sexy. 

He gripped the back of the armchair and pushed his cock further inside her without any warning. She mewled, tilting her head back against the cushion. Fuck, he was huge.

“Is it too much?” Seth asked, cupping her cheek in his large palm. “I don't wanna hurt you, princess.”

She shook her head. “You're not hurting me.”

He was her protector, her safety net, her shadow.

“I want more,” she said.

He brushed her hair back from her perspiring forehead. “More?”

“More,” she repeated. “Pretty please.”

And just like that, Seth rocked his hips forward until the entire length of his cock disappeared into her pussy. She let out a long moan. God, he was so deep.

“You feel that?” Seth reached under her right leg, freeing her hand, and placing it on the bulge protruding from her lower belly. “That's my cock inside you.”

As he began to thrust, she could feel his big cock move in and out of her womb. She had never felt this full, this complete, this connected with someone else. Whimpering, she freed her other hand and clasped them behind his neck. He hooked her legs over his shoulders, bending her small body in half as he continued to slam into her. 

“Yes, yes, yes...” she chanted. “More, more, more...” 

He was pounding her into the chair now, his cock buried deep inside her belly and his balls slapping against her ass. 

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, moments away from coming a second time, when she felt herself spinning. Still inside her, Seth reserved their positions so that she was sitting on top of him in the chair. They were back to where she had started it, and now he wanted her to finish it. 

Placing her hands on his broad shoulders, she bounced on his dick. Each time he hit her g-spot, she let out a “Oh!”

_Oh...oh...oh...oh...oh..._

“Seth!” 

She came in a white flash, trembling in his arms.

With a loud groan, Seth finished soon after her, thrusting up to meet her one more time.

They both dropped back on to the chair cushion, clinging to each other's sweaty bodies. Kate was still seeing stars as Seth rubbed small circles on her lower back. She hummed in appreciation. 

“Told you it was worth it,” he said.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this update includes the conclusion of my sethkate bodyguard AU. It was a lot of fun writing them in this world. We need more happy/fluffy/smutty fics! I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

The next morning, Seth barely got Kate to the lobby on time. He blamed their quickie that turned out to be not so quick. 

Today was Kate's last day of press before the premiere tomorrow, so it was more chaotic than usual. Not only was Melanie hovering over Kate, but her posse had grown to include her agent, her lawyer, her stylist, her make-up artist, her hair guy, her assistant, her assistant's assistant...Seth was lost in the sea of bodies.

But he did get to meet Amy Adams. She and Kate were appearing on _The View_ that morning when Kate introduced them. 

“Very nice to meet you, Seth,” Amy said with a warm smile.

He shook her hand. “Very nice to meet you too, Ms. Adams.”

“Call me Amy,” the actress said.

Fuck. Did he and Lois Lane just became best friends? Wait until he told Richie. 

He got the chance when his brother called him while he was waiting for Kate in the green room of _The Tonight Show._

“You'll never guess where I'm at right now,” Seth said.

“A Build-A-Bear workshop?”

Seth let out a deflated sigh. “Oh, you saw.”

“Me and all one million of Kate's followers did.”

Kate had posted their selfie in Central Park on Instagram yesterday with the caption: _He doesn't look green to me._ #bigteddybear #tmz

“Come on, Seth,” Richie said. “We had a good thing going with the Hulk. Our branding isn't exactly going to work with teddy bears, you know.”

“How was I supposed to know she was going to post it?” Seth said.

But he should have known. That girl never took a picture just for the hell of it; everything she took went up on her Instagram.

“Why is she calling you a teddy bear anyway?” Richie asked. “I thought you said she was a pain in the ass. Does this mean you two are getting along now?”

An image of Kate pinned underneath Seth, moaning “More, more, more...” flashed in his mind.

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. “You could say that.”

Richie let out a long “Right.”

“Hey, I met Amy Adams today,” Seth quickly said before his brother could pry for anymore details. “She's a pretty cool person.”

“Did you give her our card?”

“No.”

Richie groaned. “Did you at least get spoilers for the next _Superman_ movie?”

“No. Was I supposed to do all that?”

“Uh, yeah,” Richie said. “Damn it, Seth. You gotta keep your eyes open.”

Seth's gaze drifted to the television playing in the room, where Jimmy Fallon was interviewing Kate. Her face lit up, laughing at something Jimmy said. Seth smiled at how happy she looked. How could he explain to his brother that his eyes were already wide open?

**

By the time Kate was done with her interviews and photoshoots, Seth had barely spent five minutes alone with her. All day she had stood right in front of him, but he couldn't touch her or hold her or kiss her. 

He hated it.

What he did love was watching her in her element. The way she charmed all the reporters, photographers, and TV hosts. Hearing Melanie and the rest of her team comment on how proud they were of her. Her fans that waited patiently for her outside just to take a photo with her or get a hug. And Kate made sure each of them got one. He remembered when she told him her fans didn't annoy her when they asked for those things; now he realized she didn't do it for her ego—she did it to show her appreciation. 

When Seth did finally get Kate all to himself, she told him she was going out to dinner with Melanie.

“You expect me to believe that?” he said.

She put on that charming smile she had been flashing all day. “Yes, and I promise to be back early.”

“That's what you said last time,” he said.

Alone in the hallway, she pressed her body against his. “This time I mean it.”

He rested his hands on her hips, tempted to drag her into a closet and hike up her skirt. “Okay, but if you're not back in your room by nine...”

“You have my key.” She jumped up to kiss him. “Use it.”

**

Seth spent the rest of the night watching a Bruce Lee marathon on TV and checking Kate's Instagram. Her stories were filled with pictures of dinner, selfies with her team, and dancing to pop music playing in restaurant. He was glad she was having a good time, but he had to admit he missed her.

God, he really was a big teddy bear.

When nine p.m. rolled around and Kate still hadn't called him, he grabbed her key card and made his way to her room. Before he knocked, he remembered what she had told him earlier: _“You have my key. Use it.”_

She was definitely up to something. 

Seth unlocked her door and entered the dark room. “Kate?” There was a sliver of light coming from the bathroom. He followed it, and what he saw inside made his dick instantly hard. 

Kate, naked in the bathtub full of water, with one hand squeezing her tits, the other in between her legs. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed. 

For a moment, he watched silently, listening to her breathless panting and the splashing of water as she rocked against her fingers. 

“Seth,” she sighed.

Hearing her say his name sent a jolt right to his cock. 

Kate slowly opened her eyes, not at all surprised to find him watching her. Her hands didn't stop touching herself. 

“What are you doing, princess?” he asked.

She licked her pouty lips. “Come over here and see.”

_Fuck._

He moved from the doorway, his breathing becoming more shallow with each step he took toward the tub. Through the water, Kate's spread legs revealed her middle and ring fingers plunging in and out of her bare pussy while her thumb rubbed her clit furiously. Her little whimpers sent little trembles through his body. 

Seth sat on the tub's ledge and placed his right hand on her wet knee. “How long have you been waiting for me?”

With a sweet smile, Kate said, “Oh, just my entire life.”

He chuckled, sliding his hand into the water. “You didn't call to let me know you were back.”

“I forgot,” she said.

“Sure, you did.” His fingers brushed against hers in between her soft thighs. “Or maybe you wanted me to find you like this.” 

She sighed. “Like what?”

He pushed his index finger into her slit, joining her two smaller ones. She gasped at the sensation. 

“Like that,” he said, slowly pumping his finger in and out of her. Even in the warm water, he could feel how hot and wet she was inside. 

Moaning his name, Kate's fingers mimicked his single digit; the both of them fucking her pussy together with their fingers. Fuck, this was sexy. 

He leaned down to kiss her. She met him halfway, crashing her lips against his in a long, deep kiss. He removed his finger from inside her to massage her clit. 

“Seth,” she whispered into his mouth.

“It's okay, princess,” he said, slowly rubbing circles on her mound. “Let me make you feel good.”

She nodded, biting her lip. 

He dropped to his knees next to the tub, still touching her. She moaned, lifting her hands to cup her tits and tug her pink nipples. 

“You know how hard it was for me today to not touch you?” he said. 

She smiled. “You're touching me now.”

“I am.” With that, he pushed two fingers into her slit. She yelped, her body arching so beautifully in the water it made his cock ache. 

He was thrusting his fingers deeper and harder into her now determined to feel her come all over them. 

“Oh, fuck,” Kate gasped. “Yes, Seth, right there...”

Her pussy clenched around his fingers, and he didn't stop until she called out his name and her entire body went taut in the tub. Still so pretty. Breathlessly, she took his hand from in between her legs and kissed the fingers that had just been inside her. 

“I never want you to stop touching me,” she said.

Those words shot straight to his heart.

He caressed her face. “I never want to stop either.”

Leaning into his palm, she slowly sat up in the tub, water droplets running down her flawless body, and reached for his belt.

“Wait,” he said. “I don't have a condom.”

“That's okay.” With her hands still on his belt, she opened her mouth. 

_Well, damn._

He rose to his feet, removing his T-shirt, while Kate climbed out of the tub. She looked amazing, all wet and flushed from coming on his fingers. As he unbuckled his belt and pushed down his pants, she knelt on the bathmat next to the tub, her gorgeous green eyes looking up at him excitingly. 

“All I wanted was to touch you today too,” she said.

He grinned, bringing out his erect cock. “It's all yours.”

Gently, Kate wrapped her hands around him, cupping his balls, stroking him, up and down, down and up. He groaned, combing his fingers through her hair. 

“You're so big,” she said. “I love how sore you made me feel this morning.”

He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Are you sure you want all this in that pretty mouth of yours?”

“Yes.” She flicked out her tongue to suck on his thumb. “You know how I taste. Now I want to know about you.”

He pushed his thumb deeper into her mouth. “You always get what you want, don't you?”

Nodding, she sucked harder. “Uh-huh.”

She was Daddy's girl, a princess. Discipline—that's what Kate needed. It was in the contract. 

Jerking his thumb away, he pushed her hands down to her lap and took over stroking his cock. With a defiant look, Kate tried to reach for him again, but he wouldn't let her grab hold.

“Seth,” she whined.

“Seth, what?”

“Seth, _please_.” 

He held off a little bit longer, watching her eyes grow darker and wider with desire. Kneeling on the floor, she bounced a little, pouting and whimpering for his cock. God, he could probably come right there just from the sexy sounds she was making. 

Kate tried again. “Please, Seth, pretty please.”

There were those magic words. This time, when she reached for him, he let her touch him. She wrapped her lips around him, and he nearly exploded. She ran her tongue up and down his cock. Her mouth felt incredible. Like with his thumb, she sucked on his dick, taking as much as she could down her throat. He held on to the back of her head, only releasing her when she came up gasping for air, leaving his cock covered in her saliva. 

Damn. Kate could fuck, suck, and kiss—she really was a triple threat. 

“So, how do I taste, princess?” he asked.

Stroking him, she looked up with her swollen lips. “Yummy, but my mouth is sore now.”

“I warned you,” he said. “You wanna stop?”

“No, I'm not done.” She took him into her mouth again, slowly sucking him.

“Oh, fuck.” His fingers twisted in her hair. “That's it, baby, you're doing so good.”

She bobbed her head up and down; each time, she tried to swallow more of his cock before her eyes watered and she had to pull away to catch her breath. She definitely wasn't a quitter.

Seth resumed stroking himself again. Kate whined, opening her mouth to receive him. Instead, he squeezed the pre-cum dripping from his tip on to her tongue. She licked her lips, swallowed, and opened her mouth again.

If he could take a picture of this moment, he would tag it #blessed #iminheaven. Kate would probably agree.

He moved his cock closer to her open mouth. “Can I?”

She nodded. “I want it.”

#iwantit

Seth slowly pushed his cock into her eager mouth. He didn't want to force it, so he began to pivot his hips back and forth, fucking her mouth gently. Kate kept her hands on her lap, moaning with each thrust. He grabbed her hair, making a low ponytail at the base of her neck. She looked up at him with those emerald eyes. 

He tried to read them. “Faster?” 

She nodded.

He complied, sliding his cock deeper and harder into her mouth. Her moans grew louder each time he hit the back of her throat. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and he pulled out, afraid it was too much for her. She came up gulping for air.

“Baby,” he whispered, wiping away the tears.

“I'm okay,” she said in a raspy voice.

“Kate—”

“I'm okay,” she said again, opening her mouth.

If he wasn't such a fucking bastard, he would have stopped, but he didn't.

He pulled on her hair, causing her head to tilt all the way back, and thrust his cock in between her pink lips again. Over and over and over and over until he shuddered and spilled inside her perfect mouth. 

“Fuck,” he groaned.

He pulled out, stroking his cock as more of his white cum splattered on Kate's breasts. Panting, he watched in awe as Kate closed her mouth and swallowed, continuing to amaze him.

She smacked her lips. “I told you, I always get what I want.”

“Yes, you do.” He got down to his knees and kissed her. Her tongue had a sweet tang to it, no doubt leftover from his cum. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing their naked chests together. He looked down at the sticky white ribbons clinging to her tits. 

_That's mine._

Everything about Kate belonged to him now.

“Get back in the tub,” he told her.

“Why?” she said, keeping her arms around him.

“Just do it, princess.”

With a huff, she untangled herself from him and climbed back into the water. He removed the rest of his clothing and joined her. “Come here.” She moved to him, resting in between his open legs, and reclining against his chest. He grabbed the bar of soap and began to wash her, running his soapy hands over her tits and stomach. 

“That's nice,” she said, snuggling closer to him.

“See?” He kissed the side of her neck. “All I want to do is make you feel good, Kate.”

She turned her head to kiss him. “You do make me feel good.”

He rubbed his soapy hand over her pussy, and she sighed into his mouth.

“You make everything feel good,” she said, kissing him again. 

“Same here, pretty girl.” He hugged her from behind.

A quiet moment passed before Kate asked, “What's going to happen tomorrow?” 

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think people are going to hate the movie?”

“No way,” he said. “And if they do, they're idiots.”

“But what if people listen to those idiots?”

“Hey.” He waited until she looked up at him. “What would Lady Cupcake do?”

“Seth...” She splashed water on him.

“I'm being serious,” he said, holding her tighter. “What could Lady Cupcake do?”

Kate thought about it before answering him. “She would show up to the red carpet ready to kick ass.”

“So that's what you're going to do,” he said. “Show up and kick ass.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Seth.”

“No problem.” He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “And besides, if someone doesn't like the movie, I'll personally kick their ass.”

“Okay, but that's the only time you can be the Hulk,” she said, laughing.

“Deal.” He sealed it with a kiss.

**

In ten minutes, Kate's entire life was about to change—again. The first time her life changed was when her mother died. The second was when she met Seth. Now, she was on her way to first big movie premiere. It seemed like all her dreams were coming true.

Sitting in the back of the limo with Seth and the rest of her team, Kate tried to focus on her breathing. Her shimmery white dress suddenly felt too tight, and she suddenly felt too warm. 

“You okay?” Seth asked next to her, handing her a water bottle.

She opened it and took a drink. “Yeah, I just feel—”

Excited? Nervous? Scared? Happy? All of the above?

“Hey.” Seth leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You made it.”

All those auditions. Losing Mama. Almost quitting acting. Booking the movie. Filming with Amy and her amazing cast and crew. The experience of this entire press tour. 

_I made it._

She smiled at Seth, wishing she could thank him with a kiss (or more), but she knew she would get the chance later tonight when he came by to do a “sweep” of her room. 

“We're here,” Melanie said as the limo pulled up the theater.

Through the window, Kate saw the mobs of fans, the photographers and reporters, the red carpet, the movie posters with her face, the marquee with her name on it.

_This is for you, Mama._

As she stepped out of the limo, she was overwhelmed with the bright lights and the people shouting her name, but as soon as Seth moved behind her— _my shadow_ —she felt calmer, steadier. Instinctively, she grabbed his hand, pulling him to her side. 

He squeezed her hand. “Go get 'em, Lady Cupcake.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this story! Thanks for all the comments and kudos!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

It turned out Kate got her wish; she got rid of one more bodyguard. As soon as she and Seth returned from New York, he called her father and quit.

“What happened?” her father asked her over the phone. He and Scott were in the middle of Illinois on their way to the next show. 

“I guess he got too close to the client,” she told him.

And that's how Daddy found out she was dating Seth. He wasn't too happy at first, but like she told Seth, she always got what she wanted.

“I think you need to give him a promotion,” she said. “Head of security. He and Richie can be in charge of hiring bodyguards for me and Scott.”

Her father seemed to like the idea because two weeks later, right before she was supposed to leave for the London premiere, Seth was interviewing the latest candidate to be her new bodyguard. A man with a black cowboy hat and boots. He definitely wasn't from around here, but he seemed nice enough. Seth told her he and his wife had just moved to Los Angeles from Texas and they had a little girl. A good family man. 

From poolside, she watched the two of them talking on the patio. It looked like things were going well. Funny how a month ago, she was sitting in this exact spot, plotting ways to get rid of Seth, now he was constantly in her life. After New York, everything did change like she had predicted. Her movie premiere was a success. The film was making the rounds on the indie circuit, and Melanie told her it was most likely going to open in more theaters worldwide. Her calender was filled for the next six months, and Seth was going to need extra help. She didn't mind, as long as he was the one doing the sweep of her room every night.

Rising from her towel, she headed to the pool, looking up to make sure Seth was watching her. As always, he was.

**

Seth watched Kate jump into the pool and start swimming laps in her tiny, red bikini. As soon as he was done here, he was going to take that damn thing off her. But for now, there was work to be done. He turned back to the candidate he was interviewing. Freddie Gonzalez with his cowboy hat and cowboy boots. 

“So, you used to be a Texas Ranger, huh?” he said.

Freddie nodded. “That's right, for seven years.”

“What made you quit?” Seth asked.

“To be honest, it was for my family,” Freddie said. “My wife and I moved here for a new start. Our daughter, Billie, will be starting school soon. We thought this would be a change of pace.”

“If you're looking for something easy, Mr. Gonzalez, I don't think this position is right for you. Kate will be traveling a lot, and you may be away from your family for days.”

“I understand that,” he said.

Seth looked over his resume once more. On paper, he was perfect, and honestly, with Kate's “reputation,” they hadn't received many applications. Freddie was it.

“Well, congratulations, Ranger, the job is yours,” he said, extending his hand over the table.

With a wide grin, Freddie shook his hand. “Thank you very much.”

“Did you have any questions about the contract?” Seth asked.

“Yeah,” he said, flipping to the page. “What does this part about discipline mean?”

Seth quickly grabbed the paper from him. “You don't have to worry about that.”

“So, is that why you're looking for a replacement?” Freddie asked. “Is she trouble, or are what the magazines saying true?”

_Kate Dumps Rafa for Bodyguard!_

_New couple alert! Kate Fuller and the “Hulk”_

_Caught! Kate Fuller and bodyguard, holding hands, kissing, more? pictures pg. 5_

Seth watched Kate get out of the pool and lay back down on her towel, reaching for her phone to take a selfie. Smiling to himself, he said, “Both.”

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now go read the whole thing from start to finish and go "Awww!"


End file.
